Every state has a governor, and if you are interested in holding that elected office, you should begin planning your political career as early as you can. Most people who become their state’s chief executive have a background in law, government, business or another profession that involves strong leadership skills and project management talents. If you think you have what it takes to become the governor of your state, start by running for a local office with statewide appeal. You could start by serving as mayor of your town, running for the city council or the school board, or participating in a race for your state assembly or legislature. It is very rare that a politically unknown person successfully runs for governor.
After you have established some name recognition for yourself, begin building your political identity. Become a champion for causes that you believe in. Whether you feel strongly about the environment, taxes, business opportunities, poverty or education, you should pick a handful of issues and display your passion for them. This will enable voters to identify you with a specific area of expertise. Make sure you select issues that are central to your state. While international relations and foreign affairs may be very important to you, they will not matter in a race for governor as much as your state’s education system or property tax policies.
Begin expanding your political network. You will need all sorts of support when it comes time to run for governor. Look for people who would be willing to work with you, raise money for you, and speak highly about your abilities and qualifications. Get out into the entire state and start meeting voters. Get to know what concerns the people you will represent and learn how to address those issues. Be sure you have a solid staff to rely upon. You will need people who can keep you organized, on time, attentive, and free from any conflicts of interest. Hire good and loyal campaign staff as well.
Money is important in any political election. If you want to be governor, you are going to have to raise some money. Once your campaign is official, appoint a team of fundraisers who can solicit donations on your behalf. You will need to go after the money yourself in a lot of cases. If someone is going to write a big check to your campaign, they would rather hand it over to you than a campaign worker.
Running for governor is a noble pursuit, and many of the nation’s governors have gone on to achieve higher political office. Some have even become president. If you decide you want to hold this office, begin planning early. Study the way your state government works, get a grip on the issues facing your state, become a champion of a few of those key issues, and make sure you are able to establish yourself in the political community. Start with a smaller office and work your way up to the governor’s mansion.
One advice, a prospective governor needs to heed is to avoid sending “chance ruining” emails (from www.gmail.com or any email services). This would hurt her chances of becoming a governor if it is leaked to the public.